A more intellectually stimulating, eye pleasing, well mannered resident

[Divine Discontent]

of the West Wing who doesn't practice progressive values regarding the environment, health care & safety, keeping big business in check, reducing military expenditures, believing in an open government, ending DADT, etc... is not what I voted for.

Yet, this is clearly what I and my fellow liberals have gotten in exchange. I am now considering Obama a questionable Democrat - as plenty of his administrations policies and decisions do not scream progressive values, but corporate values. He isn't that much further from the political spectrum than what George H.W. Bush ended up being - read that and get all bothered by my opinion - but it's true. They both seem to believe in a New World Order that is monopolized by the powerful and corporations.

He's making my journal post from last year, that congratulates our party for making him the 1st minority who was nominated for president, look like a mistake - and here all of us progressives are - fighting against the idiots like Zell "Gorilla Glue" Miller and other Limbaugh-type slander to defend our president in letters, calls, and discussions with friends and family - and for what? This?

This administration practices the same failed trickle-down BS like the ones in the past have, just in their own style, and it caters to corporations. And this makes it seem they're not fighting for the rights of citizens, but in conjunction with the other side, with signing statements and judicial defenses blocking open information and the photography of torture, giving huge swaths of gold to banks, and even more to the marching drumbeat of war, which of course makes the MIC happy as they pad their pockets with billions each, while innocents are slaughtered where we are 'fighting the enemy'.

I don't trust politicians a whole lot after this rather uninspiring first half-year of rather Republican-like policies (and the naysayers can point out some nicely named policies to try and state how wonderful the administration is doing, but they ignore each new story of the week that screams "I am president, and I am a centrist-right politician, not a progressive by any means").

Where do we go from here? They have demonized Kucinich so much for his small stature, but I still believe anyone can be elected president. We've had - a charming hillbilly, a complete moran who can't form sentences that I wouldn't trust to care for my pets, and a black man with Hussein in his name - as the last three to hold the office of the presidency - that's pretty amazing.

Who knows who will be president next - but I sure as hell won't be supporting Obama or any candidate with centrist or further right policies than he has, and barring a change of course by him (I don't see that, presidents don't change that quickly, they are stubborn and stick with what they think is right through their whole time in office), I'll just be on the sidelines with my cash and time more focused on actual groups like Greenpeace and Doctors Without Borders than helping a politician get into office so he/she can break our hearts. My hopes for Obama to be a progressive president have repeatedly been squashed at his admin's efforts which more often than not appear like a moderate and friendly GOP president, much like I said, like a George H.W. Bush with a little more left-leaning.

Keep the change - NEVER have said it once til now. As some say on this site, Obama can only do so much with what 'they' will let him do. Well, if that's true - then there's no point in even discussing politics. We are screwn if that's truly the story. I want to believe that he's just a typical politician who has been put into office by the backing of the corporations and Wall St, and that it's nothing more sinister. But whatever the reason - we can do better in a candidate than him next time. I am grateful that Palin & McCain aren't in, but as another DUer said, it's more painful when Obama's policies are backstabbing because of the progressive rhetoric he exhorted on the campaign trail, often, to beat Sen. Clinton. I hope our favorite senators can continually override his power-grab that he gladly seemed to take from B*sh, and force through progressive values that we're not seeing from a nice man, yes, but who is a moderate/moderate-right president who, with great charm, is pushing the corporate line far too often for my tastes.

[babylonsister]

1. Oh, goody! So if intelligence and an ability to win were't so

important, who would you want to nominate? Who do you think would get anything done and how would they do it, because if those two traits aren't met, chances are slim. I'm very curious. Are you talking about the real world or the world of your dreams?

[Divine Discontent]

5. most people would have laughed at the thought of an AA becoming president even 10 years ago

and he got in, of course, he was tied with McCain right after he selected his, "soul mate", Sarah Palin - so even with Obama's charm & wit, total arrogance and negativity were neck and neck with him. So, it's not just about charm and intelligence - people were finally sick of B*sh (what the hell took them so long is beyond me, I saw through him in 99, or, better yet, when he was picking his nose at a ball game nearly 20 years ago and they said that's the president's son and I scoffed at how much of a loser he behaved like), and it worked in Obama's favor - but you cannot state that after selecting Palin for a few days there wasn't certainty Obama would win. Thankfully their campaign was run absolutely horribly - this was worth plenty in votes - as disarray implies incompetence.

I believe there are plenty of men & women out there who would make great presidents. Obama was called super liberal by the GOP in his election, and that didn't matter. So, a real liberal would be great - like Russ Feingold, or Barb Boxer, or one of many more - the people that people say can't win have DONE IT over and over - Hillbilly Clinton was down a lot and won to many's surprise, Dumya shouldn't even have been a serious consideration after watching him speak at one debate - yet people voted for him - anyone could become president whose involved in politics - even Dennis.

I watch one after another of these horrible decisions come down from the Obama Administration and think it wouldn't have been any different had B*sh stayed in on these particular issues. He's failing, and it reflects in him losing support from liberals in his party as we see him do the exact same things B*sh did. Even on one issue alone - I never thought for a sec he'd block torture photos and yet, he's contorted to what Dick Cheney has said he should do. That's one of a myriad of issues...

[babylonsister]

8. If you think he's that bad, then there's no talking to you. Good night. nt

[Divine Discontent]

10. I'm sorry, were you talking to me to try and change me if I didn't think he was doing 'that bad'?

Fine, go and find someone who'll agree with you instead of answer your question back with a respectful post even if they don't agree with you. Heavens forbid we not all agree on this site about every aspect of the current resident in the WH.

As for the facts, they are what they are - and this president is letting a lot of people down who strongly supported him - and that's a very unsettling situation that could result in our party wrongfully losing its majority due to something that's not fully their problem - the centrist/corporate policies of the WH.

Good night.

[babylonsister]

11. No, but I don't agree with you at all, so what's the point? FTR, he's

not letting me down, he's letting you down, and never the twain shall meet. So Good Night.

[Divine Discontent]

12. Never say never... Good Night.

[islandmkl]

2. rec'd to just keep it ahead for a while...but i disagree with most of your premise...

"...who is your local representative/senator?" should be the question on everybody's lips...

we too easily fall into the trap of the 'leader must do it all' while the Congress takes ALL the money and produces the results for the money-givers...

i would submit that the majority of people participating on DU have congresspeople who (in all honesty) disappoint us far more than the reality of what we wish Obama could accomplish on his own....

[Divine Discontent]

6. I respect the argument you make - thanks for your input

[radiclib]

19. Leaders lead

allegedly.

[knixphan]

30. Seconded.

I'm busy tryin' to get rid of Jane Harman.

[PatSeg]

31. Well said

You make the most realistic point in this thread. If our government is functioning as it was intended, a lot of the power lies with Congress. Bush had a "rubber stamp" congress and for years was able to get pretty much everything he wanted. I would like to see more progressive changes, but definitely don't want to see a Democratic version of the Bush years.

People need to get their representatives in DC to start REPRESENTING them and keep their expectations of the executive branch a little more realistic.

Edit for typo

[Connie_Corleone]

3. I don't have any regrets about my support for President Obama.

I knew exactly what his policies were 2 years ago when he first got into the race. He hasn't really deviated from his philosophy. Yeah, some change is going slower than I want but I'm willing to give him more than just 6 months in his first term to do the things that need to be done.

I'm not ready to don sackcloth and sing "Woe is me".

As far as I'm concerned, a lot of progress has been made and more progress is in the works.

[Uzybone]

4. but he is a nice man

and well mannered.

:eyes:


Anyone who says Obama = Bush or that the Senate should pull Obama to the left is insane.

[Divine Discontent]

7. how wonderfully nasty of you! can't articulate a point without calling someone names/crazy. abfab!

[dolphindance]

9. Its hilarious how Obama is a total Socialist nut to some...

And a power-grabbing, capitalist whore to others like you.
He's just trying his best to do the right thing in some trying times. And he'd appreciate more support from his supposed "base" instead of this petty sniping.

You wish he wasn't there, but I tell you what, you'd definitely would NOT want the alternative. And don't even TRY telling me a 3rd Bush term would be no different.

[katandmoon]

14. "Doing his best" means appointing corporate tools and emulating BushCo in more and more ways.

[Number23]

24. Hilarious and heart-breakingly sad all at the same time.

[katandmoon]

13. K&R ICAM

[FrenchieCat]

15. Yeah, he's clean and articulate

but not magic. So.fucking.sorry.for.you.

[saltpoint]

16. I demand that the world be perfect. If it is in any way less than

perfect, it's Obama's fault.

[Birthmark]

17. I generally agree with you.

The Republican positions equate to kicking me in the head three times. The Democratic positions seem to be kicking me just two times. I just have a hard time being grateful for that or excited.

[Divine Discontent]

23. Thank you for your comment. Exactly, they want me to say, "well dangit aren't you happy you're only

getting kicked twice, and not 3 times under the alternative!"...

I will certainly not help change votes like I did last year if this is what I get in exchange.

[Jennicut]

18. Yawn. Another Obama=Bush thread. So I guess Gore would not have been better

then Bush either. LOL
Criticism that he is not far enough to the left is fine but he is no neo con. Why can't we discuss the nuance instead of throwing out hyperbole? He is a center left politician. He is not Dennis K., he is not Bush. He is Obama.

[geek tragedy]

21. Because some people are left wing Bushes who see

things only in absolutes. Either you're with them or you're with the plutocrats.

[geek tragedy]

20. He pisses off the far right loonies and the far left purity babies.

Good for him. He's wrong on some issues (e.g. dragging his feet on GLBT issues), but the people who think he's somehow a Republican lite are morons, without exception.

[Divine Discontent]

22. more than 'some' issues

You think the bailouts were good? The Obama bailout plan was the B*sh bailout resurrected, and most Americans remain very much against it. What I'm saying is nothing new, and to hear so many people act like this is okay of this administration, and he's done so well, is disgustingly so similar to the B*sh backers who ignored how bad he was doing but kept backing him because it was the right thing to do for the party! The New York Times said “… the plan largely repeats the Bush administration’s approach of deferring to many of the same companies and executives who had peddled risky loans and investments at the heart of the crisis and failed to foresee many of the problems plaguing the markets.” (The New York Times February 10, 2009) it will not dictate to the banks how they should spend the billions of dollars in new government money.” Nuff said.


You think both of the 'wars' still going on are good? And he's far from apologetic about either, and is increasing Afghanistan's mess with billions more in taxpayer dollars to buy bombs & caskets.

You think it's fine that he has appointed several absolute corporate-owned tools to posts that are supposed to protect us? Vilsack is just doing peachy!

You think it's good that not only has he drug his feet on GBLT issues, but not ended DADT when he attacked it as candidate Obama? I find it offensive he can send out strong words in speeches and yet refuses do nothing as CIC about DADT as honorable Americans lose their jobs & we lose one language expert after another

You think it's good that his administration has blocked the release of photos showing the torture our citizens subjected to captives, instead of letting history know the full scope of the truth? That he has said we need to look forward and not look back at the crimes of the B*sh Regime?


There's more than that... but I'm tired... I like the guy. I gave triple digit cash, when I make very very little, to help this man to become president and celebrated in awe, at the capital in CA when he won. I'm not sure what his deal is. I don't wanna believe that Kennedy & Carter, two of the shortest serving president of the last century, will be the last of the compassionate leaders who tried their best to avoid warfare and help the people/country without any dispute from those in our party.

I'm hopeful for Obama to do better, but Geithner is one of the probs, and I'm not sure if these decisions involving torture pics, and not ending DADT in the 21st century and giving a great speech as to why it matters that we stop judging people for what they do in their bedrooms, are his own thoughts, or those of his advisors, or pressures from Cheney speaking out & such, but I don't like seeing it from him. I will always hope for better regarding him.

I have genuine arguments as to why I feel he's a let down so far. And the best several now have to offer back is "moron", "insane", etc... they've no argument but insult with ridiculous name calling.

[geek tragedy]

33. You conveniently ignore all of the major

positive differences and changes. So, yeah he sucks if you just ignore everything good he does, which is exactly what the pissypants purity police patrol dies.

[Forkboy]

32. More "purity" projection from the ones who demand it the most.

[shireen]

25. i'm disappointed

to see the negative ranking for your post.

I don't agree with 100% of what you've said, but that's OK. While I'm disappointed for the same reasons you are, I'm still holding out hope that some of those decisions will be changed in due time. Nor can I consider not voting for him in 2012 because the alternative could be much worse. I don't think we'll ever get our ideal of a perfect candidate, be it Kucinich or in my case, Bernie Sanders, for this high office, at least during our lifetime. However, we still need to vote for the presidential candidate who will do the least damage. Meanwhile, we have to concentrate on grassroot efforts to get truly progressive candidates elected to national, state, and local offices -- these are the people who will rise to the top, if they play their cards right. True progressive change at the presidency level will take time.

You threw out an opinion. The people who disagreed with you, instead of challenging your points with their own analysis, chose to "unrecommend" or leave impatient one-liners. That's disappointing. I would have expected more from DU'ers.

[busymom]

26. You would have expected more from DU'ers? ...

Thanks for THAT laugh! I've been around here long enough to realize that there is nothing really rational about discussions around here. For many DUers you either tote the party line or are a freeper...the end. LOL I don't think I've ever seen a rational discussion when someone posts about their disappointment or has a different opinion that the majority here find acceptable!

FWIW, I'm disappointed too. I'm not ready to call it quits though. I'm going to just see how things take shape!

[Orsino]

27. How quaint. Still conflating Democats and progressivism?

Let's face it. This is what the Democratic Party has become: the Less Republican Party. Damned few progressives are allowed to reach national office.

It's not Obama's fault, either--at least, not much more so than it is that of most other modern members of Congress. It would be fair, I think, to judge him less by the standards of progressivism than by how much he exceeds the expectations we would have for other corporate Democrats. If he keeps talking his usual conservative line, but sneakily moves us a little farther left, that would be an accomplishment--the only sort our corporate masters are likely to let him get away with.

[undeterred]

28. Good post. Not what I was hoping for either.

[Hutzpa]

29. Ashton!! Is that you?

ok! you can come out now....


:rofl: